Death Valley: land of extremes. A wonderful and mysterious place, this valley supports nearly 1,000 native plant species on only two inches of rain a year. Desert winds whisper through the valley floor 282-feet below sea level and fifteen miles west, the 11,000-foot Telescope Peak remains shrouded in snow and ice until late spring.

Stretch your legs on this early season, van-supported adventure and pedal past sand dunes, hot springs, canyons, rock formations, and an incredible variety of plant and animal life. We’ll explore the maze of wildly eroded and colorful badlands that are Death Valley, and we’ll retrace the route of the ’49ers and pioneers who arrived via ox-drawn wagons on the Old Spanish Trail to this special place in eastern California.

Meals - Shared cooking

Your group will share responsibilities for food purchase, preparation, and clean up on a rotating basis. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be accommodated, though food selection may be limited in some locations.

Accommodations - Camping/Indoor

Most of the overnights will be at private or public campgrounds with a range of amenities. Depending on the nature and location of the trip, these facilities could range from RV parks with hot tubs, to wilderness locations without running water. Indoor facilities such as motels/hotels, hostels, and churches are used occasionally, but on our more remote trips, some primitive camping is possible. Epic tours generally see about one indoor overnight every ten days. Overnight facilities vary, but tents are typically pitched on large, flat, grassy areas. You will need a good freestanding tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated appropriately for the season and elevation of your tour, and a sleeping pad.

Type - Supported

Physical Difficulty - Intermediate+

Characterized by rolling terrain and medium-distance days (40-60 miles). Intermediate tours can involve some climbing, but the climbs are usually shorter (1-2 miles), and the grade tends to be no greater than 6% for an extended period. These tours are best for individuals who are regular or semi-regular cyclists and, like our Beginner+ tours additional mileage can be added for those who desire an extra challenge. An Intermediate + often has slightly more climbing, or a few longer days, as compared to our intermediate trips. A few of our self-contained Intermediate + tours are ranked as such not due to high mileage or heavy climbing, but because riding loaded for several consecutive days can be physically taxing.

Level Of Support - Van Supported

Adventure Cycling's van-supported tours — where all personal and group gear is transported by a vehicle each day — have 2 leaders and up to 13 riders who camp most nights and share rotating cooking duties, akin to a self-contained trip but with the security and simplicity of van support.

Cost:

$1,199.00

Day 1

Pahrump. Meet the rest of your group for an orientation in Pahrump, Nevada, a town blessed with both mountains and desert. Here, you'll have your first map meeting, get acquainted with your fellow riders and tour leaders, and enjoy dinner. Before bedtime, perhaps you'll have time to take an evening spin through the streets, soaking up the muted desert hues and the grandeur of the nearby peaks.

Day 2

Pahrump to Furnace Creek, 62 miles. Today you'll pedal west into Death Valley National Park, now celebrating seventy-five years as a protected desert ecosystem. You'll pass Zabriskie Point, a famous viewpoint with a spectacular photo-op of the badlands. Unlike the kangaroo rat, cyclists cannot go for months without water––so stay hydrated as you continue towards your campsite at Furnace Creek, a hot spring that served as the stopping point for the original '49ers.

Day 3

Furnace Creek to Mesquite Campground, 52 miles. After you toss your camping gear into the van and down a substantial breakfast, you'll be ready for a ride through the northern part of Death Valley. As you spin along the paved road, watch for the tracks of wagons that rolled between the mining boomtowns of Rhyolite, Nevada, and Skidoo, California. Finally, ascending above sea level, your group will pass the narrows of Titus Canyon, perhaps spotting a big horn sheep or two, and roll into camp.

Day 4

Mesquite Campground to Scotty's Castle to Furnace Creek, 70 miles. Death Valley Scotty, born in 1872, managed to convince several wealthy business owners to invest in a bogus Death Valley gold mine, which he assured them was worth millions. Among the bamboozled men was Chicago insurance mogul Walter Johnson, who actually built a desert retreat in the valley, a replica of a Spanish Manor house complete with a theatre and chimes tower. Unfortunately, the stock market crash of 1929, and his poor investment choices, kept Johnson's plans of two man-made lakes from becoming a reality. But the "castle" is splendid in its own right, and an amazing window into the decadence and excitement of the Roaring Twenties. As for Scotty? He lived on the property and enjoyed telling folks that the building was his own.

Day 5

Layover day in Furnace Creek. Today you'll have several options: a shuttle to the top of Emigrant Pass (5,218 feet) for a rowdy downhill on lightly traveled roads with brilliant views of the park. Or you could take on a tough twenty-five mile uphill to Dante's View, a mountaintop viewpoint often described as "the most breathtaking in the park." Of course, you could also relax around camp, appreciating the local flora and fauna, or explore the park on one of the numerous hiking trails nearby.

Day 6

Furnace Creek to Shoshone, 82 miles. Well rested, you and your posse will head out, passing the nearly evaporated Lake Manley, which at one point filled the entire valley. Maybe you'll catch sight of a tiny Pupfish, a remnant of those wetter days, forced to adapt to dry conditions by learning to live in water five times as salty as the ocean. You, on the other hand, will be heading to some of the best hot mineral springs as you top out over Salsberry pass and coast down to Tecopa Hot Springs Campground.

Day 7

Shoshone to Pahrump, 52 miles. Today's route is along a section of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. You will roll along the same path taken by thousands of Mexican and American traders as they transferred wool, California-bred mules, and other treasures back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico. You'll be carrying your own brand of riches as you pedal back to Pahrump and shuttle back to Las Vegas with a group of new friends and a stellar week of cycling under your belt.

"Leader Lou McCombs was very knowledgeable about the area, geology, history, wildlife, plantlife, etc. Leader Lynn was very knowledgeable about bikes and a good problem solver, always upbeat and even had us singing around the campfire. A great trip!!!"

2010 Tour Participant

"All in all an experience of a lifetime. We met wonderful people, had good laughs, loved sleeping in the cool dark nights with the sky filled with stars, had a close up view of a coyote along the road, enjoyed the many Spring flowers and the impressive beauty of Mother Nature in Death Valley. The small group of people clicked well and everyone enjoyed riding at their own pace/capacity. Thanks for making this trip possible."

2011 Tour Participant

"The beauty of Death Valley was a new experience for me ... the stars at night, the group, and the leaders were fantastic."

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Join us for this golden opportunity to ride from Canada to Mexico on one of America’s premier cycling routes: the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route. This tour is so popular that it sells out in a few weeks, so if you’re interested, don’t hesitate to sign up.

Adventure Cycling Association inspires and empowers people to travel by bicycle.